(יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ה' לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא ה' עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃
(א) וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ה' אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הוֹדַ֥ע אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֶת־תּוֹעֲבֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (ג) וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אדושם ה' לִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מְכֹרֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ וּמֹ֣לְדֹתַ֔יִךְ מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֑י אָבִ֥יךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֖י וְאִמֵּ֥ךְ חִתִּֽית׃ (ד) וּמוֹלְדוֹתַ֗יִךְ בְּי֨וֹם הוּלֶּ֤דֶת אֹתָךְ֙ לֹֽא־כָרַּ֣ת שָׁרֵּ֔ךְ וּבְמַ֥יִם לֹֽא־רֻחַ֖צְתְּ לְמִשְׁעִ֑י וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙ לֹ֣א הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּ וְהָחְתֵּ֖ל לֹ֥א חֻתָּֽלְתְּ׃ (ה) לֹא־חָ֨סָה עָלַ֜יִךְ עַ֗יִן לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֛ךְ אַחַ֥ת מֵאֵ֖לֶּה לְחֻמְלָ֣ה עָלָ֑יִךְ וַֽתֻּשְׁלְכִ֞י אֶל־פְּנֵ֤י הַשָּׂדֶה֙ בְּגֹ֣עַל נַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ בְּי֖וֹם הֻלֶּ֥דֶת אֹתָֽךְ׃ (ו) וָאֶעֱבֹ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ וָֽאֶרְאֵ֔ךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶ֖סֶת בְּדָמָ֑יִךְ וָאֹ֤מַר לָךְ֙ בְּדָמַ֣יִךְ חֲיִ֔י וָאֹ֥מַר לָ֖ךְ בְּדָמַ֥יִךְ חֲיִֽי׃ ...(מו) וַאֲחוֹתֵ֨ךְ הַגְּדוֹלָ֤ה שֹֽׁמְרוֹן֙ הִ֣יא וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ הַיּוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת עַל־שְׂמֹאולֵ֑ךְ וַאֲחוֹתֵ֞ךְ הַקְּטַנָּ֣ה מִמֵּ֗ךְ הַיּוֹשֶׁ֙בֶת֙ מִֽימִינֵ֔ךְ סְדֹ֖ם וּבְנוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (מז) וְלֹ֤א בְדַרְכֵיהֶן֙ הָלַ֔כְתְּ וּבְתוֹעֲבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֖ן עשיתי [עָשִׂ֑ית] כִּמְעַ֣ט קָ֔ט וַתַּשְׁחִ֥תִי מֵהֵ֖ן בְּכָל־דְּרָכָֽיִךְ׃ (מח) חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אדושם ה' אִם־עָֽשְׂתָה֙ סְדֹ֣ם אֲחוֹתֵ֔ךְ הִ֖יא וּבְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔ית אַ֖תְּ וּבְנוֹתָֽיִךְ׃ (מט) הִנֵּה־זֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה עֲוֺ֖ן סְדֹ֣ם אֲחוֹתֵ֑ךְ גָּא֨וֹן שִׂבְעַת־לֶ֜חֶם וְשַׁלְוַ֣ת הַשְׁקֵ֗ט הָ֤יָה לָהּ֙ וְלִבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ וְיַד־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֖וֹן לֹ֥א הֶחֱזִֽיקָה׃ (נ) וַֽתִּגְבְּהֶ֔ינָה וַתַּעֲשֶׂ֥ינָה תוֹעֵבָ֖ה לְפָנָ֑י וָאָסִ֥יר אֶתְהֶ֖ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִֽיתִי׃ (ס) (נא) וְשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן כַּחֲצִ֥י חַטֹּאתַ֖יִךְ לֹ֣א חָטָ֑אָה וַתַּרְבִּ֤י אֶת־תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ מֵהֵ֔נָּה וַתְּצַדְּקִי֙ אֶת־אחותך [אֲחוֹתַ֔יִךְ] בְּכָל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עשיתי [עָשִֽׂית׃]... (נו) וְל֤וֹא הָֽיְתָה֙ סְדֹ֣ם אֲחוֹתֵ֔ךְ לִשְׁמוּעָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךְ בְּי֖וֹם גְּאוֹנָֽיִךְ׃ (נז) בְּטֶרֶם֮ תִּגָּלֶ֣ה רָעָתֵךְ֒ כְּמ֗וֹ עֵ֚ת חֶרְפַּ֣ת בְּנוֹת־אֲרָ֔ם וְכָל־סְבִיבוֹתֶ֖יהָ בְּנ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים הַשָּׁאט֥וֹת אוֹתָ֖ךְ מִסָּבִֽיב׃ (נח) אֶת־זִמָּתֵ֥ךְ וְאֶת־תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְ אַ֣תְּ נְשָׂאתִ֑ים נְאֻ֖ם ה' (ס) (נט) כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אדושם ה' ועשית [וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי] אוֹתָ֖ךְ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑ית אֲשֶׁר־בָּזִ֥ית אָלָ֖ה לְהָפֵ֥ר בְּרִֽית׃ (ס) וְזָכַרְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֛י אוֹתָ֖ךְ בִּימֵ֣י נְעוּרָ֑יִךְ וַהֲקִמוֹתִ֥י לָ֖ךְ בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃...
(1) The word of the LORD came to me: (2) O mortal, proclaim Jerusalem’s abominations to her, (3) and say: Thus said the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: By origin and birth you are from the land of the Canaanites—your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. (4) As for your birth, when you were born your navel cord was not cut, and you were not bathed in water to smooth you; you were not rubbed with salt, nor were you swaddled. (5) No one pitied you enough to do any one of these things for you out of compassion for you; on the day you were born, you were left lying, rejected, in the open field. (6) When I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you: “Live in spite of your blood.” Yea, I said to you: “Live in spite of your blood.” ...(46) Your elder sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to the south of you. (47) Did you not walk in their ways and practice their abominations? Why, you were almost more corrupt than they in all your ways. (48) As I live—declares the Lord GOD—your sister Sodom and her daughters did not do what you and your daughters did. (49) Only this was the sin of your sister Sodom: arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquillity; yet she did not support the poor and the needy. (50) In their haughtiness, they committed abomination before Me; and so I removed them, as I saw. (51) Nor did Samaria commit even half your sins. You committed more abominations than they, and by all the abominations that you committed you made your sisters look righteous.... (56) Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, (57) before your own wickedness was exposed? So must you now bear the mockery of the daughters of Aram and all her neighbors, the daughters of Philistia who jeer at you on every side. (58) You yourself must bear your depravity and your abominations—declares the LORD. (59) Truly, thus said the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have dealt, for you have spurned the pact and violated the covenant. (60) Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish it with you as an everlasting covenant....
(י) אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בָּאָדָם. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, זוֹ מִדָּה בֵינוֹנִית. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, חָסִיד. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע:
(10) There are four temperaments among men: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" -- that's an [average] temperament. And there are some who say that is the temperament of Sodom. [A second type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] am ha'arets (uneducated person). [A third type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours" -- [that's a] pious person. [A final type is one who says] "what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine" -- [that's a] wicked person.
אנשי סדום לא נתגאו לפני המקום אלא מתוך הטובה שהשפיע להם שנא' (איוב כח) ארץ ממנה יצא לחם וגו' מקום ספיר אבניה [וגו'] נתיב לא ידעו עיט [וגו'] אנשי סדום [אמרו] הואיל ומזון יוצא מארצנו וכסף וזהב [יוצא מארצנו] ואבנים טובות ומרגליות [יוצאות] מארצנו אין אנו צריכין שיבאו בני אדם [עלינו אלא לחסרנו נעמוד ונשבית את הרגל מבינותינו] אמר להם הקב"ה כהטיבותי לכם אתם מבקשים לשכח את הרגל מבינותיכם אני אשכח את הרגל מביניכם ואשכח אתכם מן העולם מהו אומר (שם) פרץ נחל וגו' (איוב יב) ישליו אהלים לשודדים וגו' וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל טז) חי אני נאם ה' אלקים אם עשתה סדום אחותך וגו' הנה זה היה עון סדום אחותך גאון שבעת לחם וגו'.
The people of Sodom became haughty in front of the Place only due to the goodness He showered upon them, as it says : "A land from which bread had issued forth — its place was overturned, as if (consumed by) fire. A place of sapphire were its stones, and dusts of gold were there. (And now it is) a path unknown (i.e., unfrequented) by brigands, and unseen by the falcon's eye, untrodden by the haughty (beasts) and not crossed by the lion (Job 28:5-8). The people of Sodom [said]: "Since food comes out of our land, and silver and gold, and precious stones and pearls [all come] from our land, we have no need that other people will come to us to diminish [our valuables]. Let us rise and prevent the wayfarers to enter our cities [banot]!" The Holy One of Blessing said to them: "I gave goodness to you, and you seek to forget the wayfarers from your cities?! I will forget the wayfarers in your midst [beinechem] and I will forget you from the world!" What does it say? "He breaks open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that pass by; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro." (Job 28:4) and "The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God brings into their hand." (Job 12:6) and so it says "As I live—declares the Lord GOD—your sister Sodom and her daughters did not do what you and your daughters did.Only this was the sin of your sister Sodom: arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread"(Ezekiel 16:48-49)
(י) וכן אתה מוצא באנשי סדום, שלא מרדו אלא מתוך שביעה, שנא' בהם (איוב כח) ארץ ממנה יצא לחם - תחתיה נהפך כמו אש; אמרו אנשי סדום הרי מזון אצלינו, נעמוד ונשכח תורת רגל מבינינו. אמר להם המקום: בטובות שהיטבתי לכם אתם מבקשים לשכח תורת הרגל מביניכם? אני משכח אתכם מן העולם. מה נאמר בהם (איוב כח) פרץ נחל מעם גר הנשכחים מני רגל דלו מאנוש נעו, (איוב יב) לפיד בוז לעשתות שאנן נכון למועדי רגל ישליו אוהלים לשודדים ובטוחות למרגיזי אל לאשר הביא אלוק בידו. וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל טז) חי אני נאם ה' אלקים אם עשתה סדום אחותך היא ובנותיה כאשר עשית היא ובנותייך. הנה זה היה עון סדום אחותך גאון שבעת לחם ושלות השקט היה לה ולבנותיה ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקה, ותגבהינה ותעשינה תועבה לפני, ואסיר אתהן כאשר ראיתי.
(10) And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that they rebelled only out of satiety, it being written of them (Job 28:5) "a land from which bread came forth, and whose place was overturned as with fire." The men of Sodom said: "We have food; we have silver and gold. Let us arise and banish the law of hospitality from our midst" — to which the L-rd responded: "With the good that I have bestowed upon you, you want to banish the law of hospitality from your midst? I shall banish you from the world!" What is written of them? (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (code of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." (Ibid. 12:5-6) "The torch of (the) shame (of Gehinnom awaits) him who is at ease in (his) thoughts, (saying: "I shall be at peace,") (and that he is) prepared (to join the ranks of) those whose foot slips. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G-d dwell secure, (and with all) that G-d has brought (to the evildoer, the 'hour' plays into) his hand." And this is the intent of (Ezekiel 16:48-50) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom your sister. She and her daughter had pride, surfeit of bread and peaceful serenity; but she did not strengthen the land of the poor and the needy. And they grew presumptuous and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways)."
(א)...וכן אתה מוצא באנשי מגדל שבמה שנתגאו לפניו בו נפרע מהם שנ' ויאמרו הבה נבנה לנו עיר ומגדל וראשו בשמים ונעשה לנו שם פן נפוץ ואחריו מה כתיב ויפץ ה' אותם משם (שם יא). וכן את מוצא באנשי סדום שבמה שנתגאו לפניו בו נפרע מהם שנ' ארץ ממנה יצא לחם ותחתיה נהפך כמו אש מקום ספיר אבניה ועפרות זהב לו ואומר נתיב לא ידעו עיט ולא שזפתו עין איה ואומר לא הדריכוהו בני שחץ ולא עדה עליו שחל (איוב כח) אמרו הסדומיים אין אנו צריכין שיבא אדם אצלנו אלא הרי מזון יוצא מאצלנו וכסף וזהב ואבנים טובות ומרגליות יוצאות מאצלנו בואו ונשכח תורת רגל מארצנו אמר להם הקב"ה שוטים שבעולם בטובה שהשפעתי לכם אתם מתגאים אתם אמרתם נשכח תורת רגל מארצנו אף אני אשכח אתכם מן העולם שנ' פרץ נחל מעם גר הנשכחים מיני רגל דלו מאנוש נעו (שם) ואומר ישליו אוהלים לשודדים ובטוחות למרגיזי אל מי גרם להם לאשר הביא אלוה בידו (שם יב). וכה"א ותגבהינה ותעשנה תועבה לפני ומה גרם להם ואסיר אתהן כאשר ראיתי (יחזקאל טז). וכה"א הנה זה היה עון סדום אחותך גאון שבעת לחם ושלות השקט היה לה, ולכך, ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקה (שם). וכה"א לפני שחת ה' את סדום ואת עמורה כגן ה' כארץ מצרים (בראשית יג) ואחר מה כתיב ותשקן את אביהן יין בלילה הוא (שם יט) וכי מאין היה להם יין במערה אלא שזמן להם הקב"ה יין כענין שנאמ' והיה ביום ההוא יטפו ההרים עסיס (יואל ד) אם כן זימן הקב"ה למכעיסיו קל וחומר לעושי רצונו...
(1) ...And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that with what they vaunted themselves before Him, He exacted punishment of them. As it is written (Iyyov 28:5-8) "A land from which bread had issued forth — its place was overturned, as if (consumed by) fire. A place of sapphire were its stones, and dusts of gold were there. (And now it is) a path unknown (i.e., unfrequented) by brigands, and unseen by the falcon's eye, untrodden by the haughty (beasts) and not crossed by the lion." The Sodomites said: We need no men to come to us. Food "sprouts" from us, and silver and gold and precious stones and pearls sprout from us. Let us come and forget the way of the wayfarer from our land — At which the Holy One Blessed be He said to them: Fools that you are! Do you vaunt yourselves in the good that I have bestowed upon you! You have said: Let us forget the Torah of the foot (i.e., the wayfarer) from our land. I, likewise, will "forget" you from the world, viz. (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom and Gomorrah), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (rights of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." And (Ibid. 12:6) "The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G d dwell secure." Where from? From what? (Ibid.) "from what G d has brought into his (the evildoer's) hand." And thus is it written (Ezekiel 16:50) "And they (the men of Sodom) were haughty and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways). And (Ibid. 49) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom, your sister. She and her daughters had pride, surfeit of bread, and peaceful serenity — wherefore she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. And thus is it written (Genesis 13:10) "Before the L rd destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it (Sodom) was like the Garden of the L rd, like the land of Egypt." What is written afterwards? (Genesis 19:33) "And they (the daughters of Lot) made their father drink wine that night." Whence did they have wine in the cave? The Holy One Blessed be He "readied" it for them, as in (Yoel 4:18) "And it will be on that day, that the mountains will drip wine. (If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "readies" (things) for His angerers, how much more so for the doers of His will!)...
(1) In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite residing at the other end of the hill country of Ephraim took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. (2) Once his concubine deserted him, leaving him for her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah; and she stayed there a full four months. (3) Then her husband set out, with an attendant and a pair of donkeys, and went after her to woo her and to win her back. She admitted him into her father’s house; and when the girl’s father saw him, he received him warmly. ... [on the way back...](15) They turned off there and went in to spend the night in Gibeah. He went and sat down in the town square, but nobody took them indoors to spend the night. (16) In the evening, an old man came along from his property outside the town. (This man hailed from the hill country of Ephraim and resided at Gibeah, where the townspeople were Benjaminites.) (17) He happened to see the wayfarer in the town square. “Where,” the old man inquired, “are you going to, and where do you come from?” (18) He replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the other end of the hill country of Ephraim. That is where I live. I made a journey to Bethlehem of Judah, and now I am on my way to the House of the LORD, and nobody has taken me indoors. (19) We have both bruised straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and your handmaid, and for the attendant with your servants. We lack nothing.” (20) “Rest easy,” said the old man. “Let me take care of all your needs. Do not on any account spend the night in the square.” (21) And he took him into his house. He mixed fodder for the donkeys; then they bathed their feet and ate and drank. (22) While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the town, a depraved lot, had gathered about the house and were pounding on the door. They called to the aged owner of the house, “Bring out the man who has come into your house, so that we can be intimate with him.” (23) The owner of the house went out and said to them, “Please, my friends, do not commit such a wrong. Since this man has entered my house, do not perpetrate this outrage. (24) Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. Let me bring them out to you. Have your pleasure of them, do what you like with them; but don’t do that outrageous thing to this man.” (25) But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and pushed her out to them. They raped her and abused her all night long until morning; and they let her go when dawn broke. (26) Toward morning the woman came back; and as it was growing light, she collapsed at the entrance of the man’s house where her husband was. (27) When her husband arose in the morning, he opened the doors of the house and went out to continue his journey; and there was the woman, his concubine, lying at the entrance of the house, with her hands on the threshold. (28) “Get up,” he said to her, “let us go.” But there was no reply. So the man placed her on the donkey and set out for home. (29) When he came home, he picked up a knife, and took hold of his concubine and cut her up limb by limb into twelve parts. He sent them throughout the territory of Israel. (30) And everyone who saw it cried out, “Never has such a thing happened or been seen from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt to this day! Put your mind to this; take counsel and decide.”